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I cannot overstate how this should alarm people to the abusive tactics of Watermark Community Church. Glad I never did. No longer fulfill the requirements of membership. It was a class before the main church service where people around the same age as you sat in a room, listened to a bible lesson, maybe interacted a bit, shared prayer requests, took up a small offering, held hands and said a closing prayer. Just because you have never been abused in the way these people have, does not negate that they were. Our staff represents a vibrant community of people who have been transformed by Christ to love like Christ. Can anyone tell me what is Todd Wagners past? I think having that information would offer great insight and explain some things. Those who love control and achievement thrive very well there = works. He is a gifted teacher and speaker and could have made so much more money over the years with the opportunities he was given, but he didnt take them. Case in point this comment left on my post The Aftermath: Stories from Former Watermark Church Members: What Im curious to know is if Watermark Church lead pastor Todd Wagner has to provide his detailed financial information to a community group? If you dont want to share your story you dont have to. This process is called ' Community Formation ' (formerly GroupLink). Where are you getting this information? Its open season for them to share that information with anyone they want to, and you cant do anything about it. Together, we serve the church by inspiring and equipping every Member to live a life of full devotion to Christ. If you want to be more like Jesus, you have to do it OUR way! The Watermark Church staff member attempted to use *Michael to help further isolate and exclude this wayward church member by exaggerating details of a situation in order to cause him to think negatively of this person, and thus no longer associate with him. Lots of wood pallet walls, trendy decor, and of course a coffee shop. Help me to understand. The Aftermath: Stories from Former Watermark Church Members. Considering thatRead more , Dave It is disingenuous to minimize someone elses experience just because you did not witness it yourself. I thought about visiting there. There were other things that *Michael experienced or noted while he attended Watermark. plan your weekend visit During our four-step Membership process, youll learn what it means to be a Member here at Watermark. When I watched his stepping back/pride/ sin talk, I wanted to either vomit or laugh out loud.. Thats not the goal at Watermark Church, however. Grace is a term often used at WM, although I found it either seldom accurately exercised or forgotten completely behind their right to execute Matthew 18 because we all know punishing people draws them back toRead more , Thank you for your comment. I find it so interesting that Watermark Church has had to repeatedly defend itself against being labeled a cult. Remember all of that sharing in Community Group living authentically, telling everyone about your finances, your struggles, getting their permission to make any life decision? The church was founded on Biblical principles from families that really love the Lord. Watermark Church is purportedly a nondenominational church in Dallas. You stated that Moneywise is a separate program within Watermark Church, which is true, but the documentation that I provided is from the Community Core Values curriculum, and the Moneywise program is embedded into the core values, which members of the CG are required to follow. It became an ongoing issue which caused him to be singled out more and more for not being authentic. While he was pastor at another church in Dallas he followed this same doctrine of sin and follower of Jesus Christ. She has never seriously considered getting involved with the church beyond that, but has expressed to me that it is quite difficult to actually get connected at Watermark Church because everything is centered around MEMBERSHIP and COMMUNITY GROUPS and you cant have one without the other. Also, they believe that if you arent a member of a local church, you are essentially a rebel, dismembered from the body, exiled from the kingdom and an orphan of the faith. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account. Those same people were later observed to be involved in rampant gossiping, crossing boundaries, and lying about people to gain control or manipulate situations to play out in their favor. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Author: this is unequivocally WRONG. For every story that IRead more . They were told that since money was something very personal to them, what they earned & howRead more , Part I and Part II both great and spot on. A major focus of the Community Groups at Watermark and many other churches is to foster the development of deep connection with a small group of fellow believers that enables true Christian accountability. After you have completed Membership Class Part I, you will be assigned a host who will listen to your story of grace. Once you've signed your life over to them, you must either form your own community group or go through the process of being placed in one. If youd like a suggestion for a charity outside of our church well gladly help you. They dont even take a collection in church! People leave churches all the time. Seems like theres a lot of hurting people with a lot to hide on this thread. watermark church ex members. I assured those who wanted to speak out with their stories that I would not identify them or use any details in my post that could be used to identify them. A pastor or elder does not automatically have spiritual authority due to his position in a church. Here is where to find the covenant. How do you know Todd pays that? I jokingly said Maybe theyre from Watermark (referring toRead more , Jan, emotional abuse and demeaning relationships are somewhat of a watermark of of how they care for the people who become involved. Yes WM hides abusers and minimizes victims. The initial corporate fraud is in fact the membership agreement itself. He first goes into the definition of the word cult which in latin is the word cultus, defined as to inhabit, dwell; to cultivate. SERVICIO DOMINICAL EN ESPAOL 11:15 AM. (note spelling a/e) I have met small groups all over the Dallas area of cast aside individuals who bonded over the abuse they experienced while attending this organization. I think they speak for themselves: In the Watermark Church online document titled, Dealing With Financial Hardship, what the commenter referenced above about a community group supporting one of their members by writing her a $500 check every month definitely lines up with their teachings: I am simply astonished that thousands of people have subjected themselves to this level of control in their lives. What strikes me most clearly is that Watermark fits clearly two of Dr Robert Liftons 8 markers of cults: the demand for purity and the cult of confession. Hint: It has nothing to do with being in a physical church, but all about being The Church. At the end of each section in Session #4 Giving, community groupmembers are required to fill out financial worksheets in regards to their finances: income, debt & giving. The British government says it will introduce a bill next year legalizing gay marriage - but banning the Church of England from conducting same-sex ceremonies. So in summary, Watermark isnt a cult because they follow Jesus better than anyone, are more radical about it than anyone else, and if thats what a cult is, oh well, I guess were a Jesus cult! I dont know folks.if you have to go online and record a video to explain how your church is not a cult..this might lead into a Jeff Foxworthy joke! Find a serving opportunity at Watermark or within the Dallas community. Just because you have not experienced or witnessed the things that happened to the person who told their story that I featured in this post, does not mean those things did not happen. Watermark Church does not believe that single ladies & gentlemen should be in coed community groups. Do the elders have to also provide theirs? This a perfect example of why you cannot place implicit trust in a group of people just because you are in a community group at a church. Streaming Sunday 9 and 11:15 AM A commenter on my last post referenced a message that was preached to the youth department by Ryan Garrahan on Feb. 2, 2019, so I went and listened to it. I verified it. (they didnt provide any scripture to support this). Once you have joined (or been randomly placed), you are expected to give your life story immediately at the first meeting. Were big on community. Sure, we made friends with our peers in the class and had fun at summer camp, and it all developed out of normal human interaction. Kids Church is a large group time of worship and simple Bible activities for children from Pre-K to 5 th grade. To demand that a victim produce evidence is a form of revictimization. Having said that,Read more . There are people who are genuinely afraid to withdraw their membership for fear of being put under church discipline, pressure from the community group to conform, and outright harassment. Watermark Church 103 Elmer Rd. Watermark Church 3,500-seat adult worship space Watermark Church The Loft, 500-seat multipurpose space At the center of all of this sits the 20,000-square-foot Town Square, a gathering space that the church uses for a number of different events. Todd Wagner, the embattled pastor of Watermark Church, a Dallas multisite megachurch with a pre-pandemic congregation of 20,000 people, has resigned his position as senior pastor and elder. Wow I am impressed. Former Hillsong member Ian Keith claims he witnessed the Australia-based church's deep-rooted homophobia. Did he stay to minister to anyone in need? This sounds so much like the Boston Church of Christ that I attended about 20 years agoit was part of the group out of Gainesville FL. I had another person ask me what do you intend to accomplish by writing posts about Watermark Church? This is a quality and important post. I have edited some of her answers for content and length. In fact, the staff member tried to instill fear in *Michael over the situation, as to further drive home his agenda. It is not as simple as walking away. 25 years ago, I found myself getting angry atRead more , I was a WM member until I realized that if you fail their morality assessment and they decide you have a pride issue, not a desperate, destitute, homeless or depression issue.. And this is important. He did end the video by defining what HE thought the three marks of a cult were: Im going to address #3, because I did my own Google search of the Dallas County Central Appraisal District and discovered that Todd Wagner lives in a $1.5 million dollar home in a very prestigious area of Dallas. Spiritual authority influences others toward Gods purposes. You can always view your progress in the Membership process by visiting your Membership Status page. My former GF was one of them and she was run off, I was run off for supporting her. He finally quit when he decided to switch jobs and was reprimanded for not getting the groups permission. He became heavily involved in all aspects of the community group, but soon discovered that sharing time became an issue for him, like it was for *Susan. Each community group member has the right to call you out on something, anytime, whether you like it or not. But it was a brutal experience that cost a marriage and many other relationships.Read more , GREAT Article. Then there is the whole LakeRead more . It was curious to her why this neighbor continued to bring them food after the typical once or twice. Todd uses God to accomplish his goals ofRead more , We briefly visited WM; I quickly told my husband, this place is the cult of Todd and will implode without him. Thats not Todds fault, but no thanks. Community Core Value #2: Pursue deep relationships with one another, based on love and acceptance. Some neighbors said Wednesday they felt ignored with a lack of information from. If you dont fill out the form you can leave easy if your just quiet. People are insecure, confused, listen to gossip,Read more . Pastor Todd Wagner - it seems all is not well at Watermark Church. Part of Membership at Watermark is participating in regular, gospel-centered service. Learn how the Old Testament foretold the events of Easter. I had experience with Watermarks head pastor in the 1990s. Just checking out the church and looking at the background info the house has tripled in value since the Wagners bought it 20 years ago hardly a 7 figure home when purchased. -Laura Schwartz. *Michael then knew that Watermark was not a healthy church and this meeting further confirmed his decision to leave. Were here to help you find that. Even now, her parents (who worship there) refuse to talk to her or visit her children, simply because she was dutiful enough to report on the pedophile acts of a man who used to work at Prestonwood. If the leaders deem you unworthy of their support due to pride or sin struggle reasons, they will absolutely unequivocally unabashedly and with zero conscience or compassion, write you off. How can you be under church discipline if you leave the church? John Dorhauer, the church's president and general minister. If we believe that, we should also have a desire to please God, and want the way we live our lives to reflect that desire. Community Core Value #3: Offer and receive biblical counsel in all areas of life. I asked Susan if she wouldnt mind answering a few questions for this post, which she was happy to do. (see image above). So big that its our middle name. . A very sad reality for many. I guess I was more grateful than offended. Elders Todd Anders Elder Ben Caldwell Elder Mickey Friedrich Elder Blake Holmes Elder, Lead Pastor University Park has the advantage though of a much lower tax rate for obvious reasons. Location & Hours Suggest an edit 7540 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy Dallas, TX 75251 North Dallas Get directions Ask the Community Ask a question Q: My perception is this former member did take their concerns to leadership. Can I serve in a ministry that isnt part of Watermark? He counseled my former fiance and after several meetings with him my fiance broke up the engagement and I was left devastated. According to Watermark Church, if you arent spilling your guts every single week, you arent living authentically. One of those, David Leventhal, announced that he had resigned last month Yet it turns out they are getting people toRead more , Hi to all, Ive been a member of Watermark for over three years, went through Re:Generation and now co-lead a community group. You can see it on their instagram! They yield a lot of power in the community. We are so glad youre planning to join us at Watermark Dallas. Having been a Watermark (now CityBridge) member since 2016 have never EVER heard these messages thatSusan speaks of. This is what happens to some people at Watermark Church. He was then the most arrogant and disrespectful person imaginable. We were raised Baptist and raised our daughter that way initially. it is a full on tribal mind zonk with powerful forces to fit in >let me tell you how to vote What to think of Starbucks and Amazon and iPhones vs Android and this politician and that person and what aRead more . Perhaps more focused prayer from true believers to individually and collectively speak truth and take a stand for Jesus examples in the Bible will goRead more . To the unsuspecting eye, everything contained in this document may seem legitimate or customary as far as church membership goes. If youve never been to Watermark Churchs sprawling Dallas Campus, its a sight to see. Except when you leave Watermark Church. Prestonwood Baptist also made the list (top 20) and its nowhere near a cult. Listening for root issues and how they cause hurt for make more senses than listening to reply in a sermon. This would be Cabo and in the middle of the worst weather tragedies that Dallas has seen in decades. I cannot imagine that Jesus, given all options, would choose to live among the wealthiest citizens in the most landscaped, luxurious part of the city. Not every word from a person in a pulpit will always be perfect considering that they are imperfect humans and will admit it. I was a member in the mid 2000s and lead a community group. If your circumstances prevent you from being able to attend class in person, please contact us. WM hides abusers and minimizes victims. Excellent insight DB! Interviews are to begin on March 13th. Secondly he says that even Jesus himself said things that might be considered cultish: If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26. Another requirement for membership is that you find an area in which to serve in the church. Thanks to you for writing and Susan for sharing. Share your testimony verbally with someone from our team. Ive been at Watermark for 7 years and experienced people in my community group leaving the church; there are NO such requirements or stipulations that prevent you from leaving the group or the church entirely. I often wonder if complicit Christians are becoming one of the most effective tools to the mis representation of Jesus teachings in todays world. Ive written and researched extensively on this topic, and have done podcast episodes on cults also; this definitely sounds like its on the cult spectrum. Church Abuse, Watermark Church Posted on: September 30, 2019 March 26, 2021. Join us for worship on Sunday at 9 AM, 11:15 AM, and 5 PM. Did he stay and open his churches to the people that were cold and hungry? Aside from the fact that it was gifted to him (alarming at the very least) it shows poor stewardship and lack of humility on Wagners part. What do you mean exactly by re-victimization. If by community you mean meeting with like-minded individuals to foster friendships & develop relationships then great. We believe this reflects the biblical expectation that Christians use their gifts to serve others ( Romans 12:6-8, I Peter 4:10-11 ). I know his church was started in Lake Highlands at the HS and then he gained enough followers and was able to purchase a house in HP. that would be a better fit. leamington news accident. Build deeper relationships with other young adults on mission to leave a lasting impact on the world. Such was the case recently when a former member of Watermark Community Church in Dallas, Texas wrote a Facebook post in which he criticized the church for excommunicating him for being. Do I believe writing posts about Watermark Church will cause them to change their policies? Working at watermark church: 5 Reviews Review this company Job Title All Location United States 5 reviews Ratings by category 4.8 Work-Life Balance 4.4 Pay & Benefits 4.6 Job Security & Advancement 4.6 Management 5.0 Culture Sort by Date Language Showing all 5 reviews Love it! If youre pursuing community to get Christian friends, to study the Bible, or to get an accountability partner, those are all great things, but you might be setting your sights too low. Ive heard many stories about their type of conversion therapy. He didnt formally withdraw his membership, to avoid suspicion and detection. *Michael was in a Community Group of men that he discovered were not particularly disciplined, dependable or trustworthy, yet he was expected to do life with them and be completely authentic. Please allow up to 3 business days for a response. She called Watermark to inform them of her concerns and was told Its none if your business. Once I became a leader and attending the leaders meetings I was shocked to find out how they talked about those not in leadershipI finally left when I discovered that they were following me around to see who I was spending timeRead more , Ive been keeping track of there regen program for same sex attraction. After leading the Watermark Community Church in Dallas, Texas for more than 20 years, Todd Wagner, the church's senior pastor and co-founder has officially resigned. Our post-modern tendency is to use culture as a reference point, not the Bible. Not to mention that even if the words are perfect its up to the listeners as to how they interpret it. Watermark Church has 6 core values for Community Groups: Im going to focus in on a few of these. The atmosphere is very inviting and aesthetically appealing. I knew several people who visited, but who clearly didnt fit in and later left. Its how relationships are formed and accountability is established or thats what they want you to think. (I share this not to be super-negative, but just because this practice is far [], CALL TO ACTION Former WM Members Did WM pray for you, or did WM prey on you? In this step, you'll complete the following: To review or update your progress through this step, view your membership status. I cant find anything about his childhood, where he grew up and his religious background. Also, he pointed out that all the people at the resort were drinking Mezcal (Then heRead more . Im in a similar similar situation. Also, people deserve to know the truth about what is really going on at Watermark Church not just the flashy polished product that most people see. If you arent a covenant member at Watermark Church, you cant join a community group, and that is where all the getting involved starts. I tried to attend their services, tried Re-Engage but I always felt icked-out by the whole thing. Psychological warfare Is a good name for it. After surviving the mental mind games; requirements which forced your focus onto WM (over Gods children as a whole); moved from a small/community group dialogue of what can we do to serve Gods children and one another to a focus on everyones sins/short comings; and focus on surviving their destructive behaviors under theRead more . Its because Watermark wants to know all of of your deepest darkest struggles & sins. There is forgiveness for a church also and I hope they are humbled one day so they can grow past some of there root issues. @WorriedMom, I would love to connect with you.